Statistics on traffic speed on Valley Road show that just 27% of drivers are operating at or within 5 mph of the posted speed limit. (click to expand).
3 out of every 4 drivers on Valley Road in Princeton speeds. That’s the shocking result of a traffic study commissioned by the Princeton Engineering Department, which was released as part of a recent community meeting. Continue reading
Red dashed lines were painted by town staff on Prospect Avenue to indicate proposed new traffic calming measures. But following neighborhood opposition, they will no longer be built. (click to expand).
Following a meeting with neighbors, Princeton municipal officials have indicated that a proposal to add traffic calming measures on Prospect Avenue will no longer go ahead. Continue reading
A trail on a pipeline right-of-way next to the D&R canal by Princeton. (click to expand)
Gas pipelines are big news in New Jersey right now, around Princeton, and in surounding communities. Apparently stimulated by a glut of fracked gas from western Pennsylvania, various companies are rushing to find new ways to bring their product to market. That means lots and lots of new pipelines in New Jersey, which is arousing the ire of local residents on all sides of the political spectrum. Despite this opposition, these pipelines are getting their permits and are getting built. In the last few weeks, for example, several miles of new pipeline has been laid in northern Princeton, the so-called ‘Skillman Loop‘. On the principle of “if life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, we should seize the opportunity to create new walking and biking trails on these new pipeline routes, to get the greatest value possible out of this process for local residents. Continue reading
Engine Company No. 1 building on Chestnut Street – one of the sites that has been identified as suitable for conversion to affordable housing in a report out today (Click to expand.)
Disused firehouses, the old PFARS station, and several parking lots are among the sites identified as suitable for new affordable housing in Princeton, according to a report from a task force chaired by Council President Bernie Miller. The task force was set up to catalog ‘publicly-owned’ sites in Princeton, and to evaluate which would be most suitable for affordable dwellings. By the time of their interim report in March, they had reduced the list to 44 potential sites. The final report, published today, narrows that list to thirteen sites. Council must now decide how to proceed with redeveloping them.
Friends of Herrentown Woods Trail Map of Herrentown Woods. (click to expand)
The Friends Of Herrentown Woods, a 501(c)3 non-profit that works to maintain and improve Princeton’s Herrentown Woods, has published a paper map of trails in the forest. The map was prepared following extensive work by the ‘Friends’ in the last few years to re-open and clear the trails, many of which had become overgrown. Continue reading
Princeton Housing Authority affordable homes at Clay Street in Princeton. Housing permits in Princeton have not kept pace with demand, especially at more economical price points. (Click to expand.)
Can Princeton Democrats take responsibility for adding new housing in Princeton? Based on a letter in last week’s ‘Packet’, it seems that the tide may be shifting toward a realization that more housing is necessary and even desirable. The letter, from longstanding PCDO member Anne Neumann, offers a useful range of solutions on the question of affordable housing, but strays into a partisan framing of the debate on expanding housing opportunity:
“Republicans argue that zoning and other building regulations constrict supply and drive up costs, so we should eliminate regulations. Then the free market will build housing for both high- and low-income households….”
Shaded area shows the extend of the new overnight parking restriction in Princeton, which will be subject to a vote by Council on 6/8/15. (click to expand.)
Princeton Council looks set to adopt new restrictions on overnight parking in town. A vote has been scheduled for Monday night, June 8, to decide how much of the town will be subject to a ban on overnight parking.
Lambertville, NJ is a fantastic town to walk around. (click to expand.)
Looking for a walkable place to live near Princeton? Terrified about getting trapped in the notorious Jersey sprawl? You’ve come to the right place. Here are fifteen places, near Princeton, where you can easily walk to stores and restaurants. No car required. Leave your ‘what exit?’ gags behind. This is walkable Central Jersey. Continue reading
Princeton is full of hidden parking lots, which are often less then half-full even at busy times.(click to expand).
Take out your smartphone. Click a button and say “SMALL WORLD COFFEE”. Instantly, your phone provides turn-by-turn directions to…an open parking spot near your destination of choice. You arrive shortly, and pull straight into the spot (without driving round on a frantic search for parking for 10 minutes). Getting out, you click a button, and payment is automatically charged to your online account. It’s the ‘Airbnb of Parking’ app, the software that makes parking in Princeton a breeze. Continue reading
Ettl Farm, which was developed as housing in Princeton Township in the 1990s. (click to expand).
Open space. A complete network of cycle paths. Housing options that preserved social and economic diversity. Stores that can be accessed easily on foot. All this was envisaged in 1973 by the Princeton Planning Board, as part of a 20-year vision plan called ‘A Princeton Of Villages’. The plan would have seen Princeton’s population grow to 40,000 by 1990, with new residents added in a series of clustered, mixed-use developments.
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